She's bleeding

[Duc750]

OK I'm starting to have some doubts on something.

Having read up all about oil leaks etc. I've got a small dribble which is persistent enough to be irritating me and want to fix it.
I've got to do a clutch and alternator monkey nuts anyway so will check O rings and main seals while I'm in there but where the oil is collecting under the bike has got me thinking.

It seems to be collecting just forward of the transmision drain hole and the whole underside of the trans is covered. there seems to be some trace of oil on the sump but nothing is "wet" again there is a trace from around the waterpump but nothing is significantly wet there either. So I'm thinking maybe oil pan or the water pump leak.

Whats the assembled opinion ?

Cheers

Andy 

[frankenduck]

There's a good chance that it's the seals in the water/oil pump.

[Duc750]

Bugger and I had main seals and O ring at the ready too !

[Scott_]

You could be getting a small amount of seepage from the oilpan seal and it's just wicking back to the rear as you ride.
When I pulled my pan off a while back I had 2 spots where it was evident that the gasket material was no longer "stuck" to the surface and was wet.
1 at the front near the oil pump and the other was at the rear near the bell housing end.

[Duc750]

Right - the water pump drain hole is properly blocked but while the water pump is off I've decided to rebuild it as it all looked a bit horrible in there but what is the secret to refitting that mechanical seal - I've knackered one already trying to "persuade" it back togetherany help gratefully recieved

Cheers

Andy

[CRASH]

Possible rear main seal?  You are going to redo your clutch because it is slipping?  It may be slipping because it has oil on it.  A lot of folks drill a small hole at the trans/engine seam so any oil that does leak from the seal will just dribble out and not collect and prematurely ruin their clutch.  Eventually it leaks out, but the hole just lets it happen without collecting first.

[Duc750]

Haha right then the oil pump was so jammed up with sealant that was one leak but the nain seal was also knackered so much oil behind the flywheel that there was a greenpoeace camp in there, is there any secret to getting a new main seal in though (having trashed one already being gentle!) ?

[Phil Marvin]

Hi, Duc750,
    Most of the time, what appears to be a rear main seal leak isn't.  Rarely does the rear main leak.  Usually it is the "O" ring behind the clutch nut which has gotten hard and cracked, letting oil leak past it.  It can't hurt to replace the rear main seal if it's done correctly, but don't forget about the clutch "O" ring.

[Duc750]

Believe me it was the main seal, the seal lip was rippoed, that in turn had got the o ring very swollen and difficult to get out, I'd hazard a guess that it could be something to do with a missing thrust washer form the clutch carrier, everything could have been sitting just 1mm too far back and therefore nothing was quite where it should be!